Week 2: Why Am I Suffering?
BEGIN this week by reading Job chapters 7-13.
Don’t worry, they aren’t super long!
WATCH this video to gain a greater understanding of the structure of the Book of Job
REFLECT & PRAY
Have you ever gone through something tough and felt like no one understood what you were going through? Worse yet, your “friends” try to help by offering answers that just make you feel worse.
Though our situations may be different, I think everyone has felt this at one time in their life and this was exactly what Job went through.
But as much as we might see ourselves as Job, I think we are meant to see ourselves more as his friends. Eliphaz pointed out that those who are truly godly and holy will never suffer at the hand of God, but Job was living proof that even the righteous may suffer temporarily. Bildad believed that Job had forgotten God, become apathetic in his faith, but that Job could remember God again and be restored back into right relationship with God. However, the irony was that Job was already in right relationship with God. Zophar suggested that Job had received less wrath from God than he actually deserved; it is as if God had forgotten some of his sins. The problem here was that he used God’s voice to bolster his personal opinions. To do so is to offend the God and to say something He never actually said.
What Zophar, Eliphaz, and Bildad were unaware of was how God really viewed Job. They were operating off of their own assumptions from what they were seeing and hearing from Job because they did not see or hear anything from God.
When we are going through something hard, we need to be careful about who we allow to speak into our life. Are they friends and people who are listening to God’s voice or are they simply working on their own ideas and assumptions?
And when our friends are going through really tough times, we also need to be careful about what we say. Are we allowing God’s wisdom and voice to speak through us, or are we using God’s voice to try and prove our assumptions?
How often do we assume what is in the heart of a person?
Because of our assumptions, how often do we give inaccurate advice?
What do you think Job actually needed from his friends? Advice or presence?
Why do you think we are always quick to offer advice and help, but slow to encourage and be present?
How do you feel this story relates to you and your life right now?
We would love to pray with you this week! Email Pastor Andrew.
If you would like to dig deeper, ask us for our 40 day devotional on Job!